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of this magazine are copyright 2012. 2AM
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permission from 2AM Media Group.

Cover Photo: Provided by Food Network

2:00

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media group

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DEPARTMENT
DINE
pg.
18

DISTINC T
pg.
26

DRINK
pg.
30
DE C IBE L
pg.
34
D RE S S
pg.
44

DR ES S
pg.
48

FEB

2012

THE

FOOD
ISSUE

#6 0

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 25TH

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SOCIAL LIFE
@DJJusznyce

@keeganhall

@DListMagazine u already
know who throws the best
party's !!!!!!!!!!!

@dlistmagazine perfect!
Looking@DiggityJohnson
forward to meeting you all
on Monday! :)

@Lombardo_Music

@mattsinthemkt

@Def an experience last
night with @DListMagazine #happynewyear!

@DListMagazine Thanks
for the #FF love! Right back
at you lovelies.

Tweet of the month!
@djikon
Thanks Seattle!!! Energy last night was crazy. Shouts to @DListMagazine, @PakPros and
everyone who made last night insane...

STATUS UPDATES OF THE MONTH
January 14 at 12:04pm

January 11 at 6:07pm

Photoshoot with The Canlis Bros at
the DList Magazine office right now!
These guys are beautiful...

We just found this awesome statistic on
mashable.com that Resolution was the #1
New Years event in the world according to
Facebook RSVP's!

929 People Reached 19 People Talking About This

1,132 People Reached 19 People Talking About This

photobooth fame

photobooth fame

new years eve 'resolution 2012'

amber escape 'las vegas entourage'

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FFFF MUSIC

DISCS

GAMES АААА
WRITTEN BY Glace Bondeson

Paul McCartney

Nicki Minaj

Kisses on the
Bottom
FEBRUARY 7

Pink Friday:
Roman Reloaded
FEBRUARY 14

Paul McCartney has been in
the music game longer than
most artists. His newest album, “Kisses on the Bottom,”
marks his 23rd studio album of
his career and his first album
since 2007. With a number
of big names both in and involved in the record, McCartney has dubbed this album a
“very tender, very intimate” album that is perfect for a glass
of wine after a long day.

Ja Rule

Though this is only Nicki
Minaj’s second album, the
y o u n g rap star has surely
proved her worth and staying power in the rap game.
Signed to Lil Wayne’s evergrowing label, Young Money,
Minaj has cranked out more
hits this year than most seasoned artists. Known for her
multiple personalities and
distinct fe atures, “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded” will
explo r e he r f avorite inner
persona.

Pain is Love 2

Estelle

FEBRUARY 28

ALL OF ME

“Pain is Love 2” will mark the
release of Ja Rule’s first album
in eight years and the sequel
to his 2001 album, “Pain is
Love.” Though Ja Rule originally hoped to release the album before the beginning of
his two-year prison sentence
(for weapons possession), he
realized the album would not
be complete in time. However, Ja Rule later said that he
would rather delay the album
to make it better than release a
bad album.

FEBRUARY 28
Estelle came on the scene
in 2008 with her famed collaboration with Kanye West
for her single “American Boy.”
Estelle went on to win a number of awards, including Best
New Song, Best UK Video
and Best New Artist. Though
she has been under the
radar for some time now, her
reemergence is sure to bring
even more dance-worthy
music to our ears.

Asura's Wrath

february 21
System: Xbox 360, PS3

Syndicate

february 21

SSX

After a slow January, February starts to get the ball rolling for gaming in 2012, feaIf you mention the game
turing a handful of releases
“Syndicate” to any early ‘90s “SSX” is the Tony Hawk of
worth drooling over, vastly
PC gamer, you will surely snowboarding games; outradue to the amount of unique
bring a smile to their face. Be- geous, exhilarating and fun.
titles hitting store shelves.
ing one of the most in-depth After a brief hiatus, “SSX” is
First, we have “Asura’s Wrath,”
and celebrated games at the back and bigger than ever.
a Japanese action game featime of its release, this reboot Featuring real world snowturing a polished visual style
of the series will not only boarding locations as opposed
and fast button smashing
draw old school gamers back, to fictional slopes and a variety
controls, similar to the “God
but also expose an entire of character and customizaof War” franchise. Players
generation to the brilliance tion options, this is a game to
assume the role of Asura, a
of the game's concept. The get lost in during the warmer
general of the God’s, who
year is 2069 and no govern- months of the year. But don’t
has been pinned as the culments control developed civ- think this is just your run of
prit in a gruesome murder.
ilizations. Instead areas are the mill downhill racing game.
With no relief in sight, Asura
controlled by mega-corpo- “SSX” will include multiple
must protect himself, his
rations aka Syndicates. Civil- game modes like trick comps,
family and the fate of exisians unaware to the hand be- story modes, multiplayer, graftence in this immensely epic
ing struck down upon them fiti, and the most enticing
fight for survival. Currently
are chipped in order to share mode of all is sure to be the
a demo is on Xbox Live and
knowledge and alert all activ- heli-boarding, allowing playPSN, which is worth taking a
ity to the authorities. Taking ers to be dropped off at any
look at if you are in need of a
on an RPG/FPS gameplay point on the mountain and
fresh and unique game.
style, users must control their free ride as they please. The
destiny in the ultimate fight game also packs in an amazfor revenge.
ing soundtrack for hitting the
slopes featuring Pretty Lights,
DJ Shadow, Theophilus London and Nero.

By far one of the most honest and moving indepen- This movie received some of the best reviews of all

Affleck and Téa Leoni with famed action director

dent films of the season, “The Way” tells the story

Brett Ratner behind the scenes. The movie follows

of a bond between a father and son and the great

Olsen taking the lead role, the film follows her char-

a group of scorned civilians who decide to take their

lengths to which we go to mourn. Written, directed,

acter as she flashes through the past, present and fu-

movies released this season. With newcomer Elizabeth

fate into their own hands by enlisting the help of Slide

produced and starred in by Emilio Estevez and real

ture as viewers piece together her horrific story. The

(Murphy) to exact revenge on the corrupt business-

life father, Martin Sheen, bring believability and vul-

movie combines just the perfect amount of suspense

man who screwed them over and took their money.

nerability to the screen that will move viewers to tears.

with fantastic acting and beautiful cinematography.

14
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MOVIES

achronicle
February 3

The first-person thriller has been

main form of escape and expression is

darkness with his characters. His previ-

popular for years now (we all remember

a video camera. Andrew and his cousin

ous film 'Slingshot' carried the same

So what do you get when you cross X-

Blair Witch) but since then there has

Matt (Alex Russell) along with class-

premise while showcasing established

Men and Cloverfield? No, not a giant

been many advances in technology

mate Steve (Michael B. Jordan) discov-

actors (Balthazar Getty and David Ar-

er a mysterious substance that leaves

quette.)

hairy dinosaur with psychic abilities!

and these films are becoming more and

You get 'Chronicle', the first coming-

more realistic looking. Yes it does look

them with incredible powers. As their

The twists are going to take you

of-age super hero movie filmed in the

easy to make a leaf blower lift up girls

abilities become more powerful, the

on a roller coaster ride right up to the

first person. Oh ya and it's shot right

skirts from 30 feet away! Darn it CGI,

teens' lives spin out of control when

dramatic ending. Spoiler alert: one of

stop playing with my dreams!

their darker sides begin to emerge.

the boys will die! Ha ha, no really.

here in our backyard. Yup that's the

Director Jay Alaimo is at the

Space Needle on the movie poster. But

The story revolves around An-

as we all know it was probably filmed in

dr ew ( D a ne D e H a a n) a s o c i a l l y

helm of this flic and takes the audience

our neighbor's up norths lot.

a w k ward, introverted teen whose

on a great journey of innocence to

aTHE WOMAN IN
BLACK

mort? Where is my tween crush

remote village to put a deceased ec-

Emma Watson? Oh wait this isn't

centric's affairs in order. Of course as

Potter, this is..? Daniel Radcliffe

soon as he arrives he starts noticing a

Februay 3

plays a lawyer, Arthur Kipps, who

lot of awkward behavior from the

In this installment of the Harry

is recently widowed and grieving the

townsfolk and s#@* hits the fan. If

Potter series...wait where is Volde-

loss of his wife when he is sent to a

he could only hop on his broom .

aI AM BRUCE LEE

of martial arts' life. This is a docu-

on their personal feelings about the

February 9

mentary style film that takes clips

legend. Wait...why is the long haired

of Bruce's movies along with per-

guy from the Black Eyed Peas and Al

Don't worry Bruce Lee purists, this

sonal interviews and outtakes from

Bundy in this?

isn't another Hollywood adapta-

some of the world's most famous

tion of what happened in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Elvisâ&#x20AC;?

musicians, athletes and celebrities

athis means war

movie studio execs! Gotta throw

February 14

to book. And is it just me or is she

in some hyper-masculinity to get

hotter now after kids then she was in

both d e m o g r a p h i c s p a y i n g f o r

'Legally Blond'? Either way I will take

Yay it's Valentine's Day! Time for

t h a t c o v eted #1 spot in the box of-

mushy movies! Well at least this one

fice. Also I heard Reese Witherspoon

has guns and violence! Good job

isn't exactly the cheapest female lead

15
WWW.DLISTMAGAZINE.COM

this one over 'The Vow' any day.

APPS
WRITTEN BY Glace Bondeson

O
O
F

E
I
D
a

feature app

aalfred

azagat

Price: FREE

Price: $2.99

Available: Android, iOS

Available: Android, Android
Tablet, iOS

afoodspotting

Price: FREE
Available: iOS, Android,
Android Tablet

We all love to eat great tasting food, but with
that comes the appeal for great looking food as
well. It’s easy enough to hop online and find
a restaurant that suits our needs, but more
often than not, restaurateurs want to see the
visual appeal a menu can bring to the table.
Foodspotting for iOS and Android provide
users a clever and intuitive interface to find
their next favorite dish. The application lets
users upload stunning photographs of their
favorite meals served at restaurants for others
to see and vote on. Featuring multiple categories, users are able to view nearby foods based
on personal interests or browse through an
immense picture gallery of the highest rated
meals in their area. So whether you are looking to find the most beautiful meal of your
life or share your latest find with the world,
Foodspotting is a one-stop shop for all your
food-finding needs.

s
p
p

Alfred is a diamond in the rough, to say the least.
This handy little butler has recently hit the app
market, but will soon become your best friend.
Alfred asks users a series of questions about their
food interests and favorite restaurants, while
generating results based on the questions asked.
Based on the short amount of time together, I
have no reason to doubt Alfred’s suggestions.

If you have ever seen a restaurant in your life, you
have probably noticed the copious amounts of
“Zagat Rated” stickers posted to windows and
doors. The Zagat app for mobile devices requires users to create a profile in order to rate
their favorite restaurants and earn achievements to use towards unlocking new features
and recommendations.

aOPENTABLE

aVegOut

Price: FREE

Price: FREE

Available: Android, Android
Tablet, iOS

Available: iOS

OpenTable has been around for a while, offering a service that lets users find and book
reservations at many restaurants in their location. Recently releasing a mobile application
for Android and iOS, OpenTable is making it
even easier to make quick reservations on short
notice while on the go.

16
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Yes, there is an abundance of great restaurants
in the world, but restaurants catering to vegetarian and vegan patrons can be hard to come by.
VegOut for iPhone lets users browse for nearby
restaurants based on their special needs, eliminating the need to scour every menu for an appropriate dish.

Just as uncustomary as its moniker, Manhattan Drugs asserts its nontraditional ways in
more approaches than just that, brandishing itself as being “not your run of the mill
steakhouse.” Beyond being the only steakhouse in Capitol Hill, which makes it an auspicious choice for all the meat-lovers in the
area, Manhattan Drugs prides itself on serving 100 percent all natural beef from Painted
Hills Ranch and USDA prime grade cuts of

meat for the most tender and juicy of f lavors.
Dark velvety walls, dark wood furniture and a backlit bar provides an intimate
yet stylish f lare to any dining experience,
complete with an, oh you know, just your
typical M-16-horned ram that’s hanging on
the wall.
A taste of the menu:
The Dungeness crab cake ($14) was delicious

While on capitol hill also try one of these great restaurants

and savory, full of real crab with a lemon
mustard and herbed frisee on the side.
T h e s t e a k , n a t u r a l l y, i s o u t s t a n d i n g with options such as a 12 oz. Prime New
York ($38) or a 12 oz. Prime Filet ($45) each
served with seasonal vegetables, a choice of
steak butter (lemon herb, blue cheese or garlic) and a choice of mashed, baked potato or
fries.

Within a 360-mile radius of Seattle, a bounty
of some of the freshest produce, meat and
ingredients are being grown and groomed.
Belltown’s Local 360 features dishes where
at least 90 percent of raw ingredients come
from within that radius (some items just
simply aren’t available from the area such
as lemons or coffee). Sustainability, utilizing local resources and investing in the surrounding community is as much a goal as the
constant creation and serving of perfectly
pleasing dishes.
An interior of wood furniture with

metal accents and candelabras here and
there make for a nice and cozy feel, where
plenty of booth seating allows you to hang
your coat and get comfortable while noshing
away or sipping on your libation of choice
(beverages, wine and liquor also all from local sources).
A taste of the menu:
Originally meant as an appetizer during its
inception, the PB&J Bon Bons ($5) have
since taken on quite the following and the
demand for them as both a starter and des-

While In BELLTOWN also try one of these great restaurants

sert has been met by its addition to the dessert menu. One bite into the fried, crunchy
exterior and a creamy ooze of peanut butter
fills your mouth, joining the taste of sweet
jelly that it was smeared with.
The amazing fried chicken roulade
($18) had my taste buds singing, topped with
a sunny-side-up egg and laying on a bed of
bacon mousse, white corn cheddar cheesy
grits and braised collard greens.
Tender, braised rabbit leg ($24) joined
brussel sprouts, sweet potato puree with a
light and airy cider marshmallow.

Din Tai Fung established its reputation as
the leader in xiao long bao (often referred
to as soup dumplings) long before it opened
its doors in Bellevue’s Lincoln Square in
November 2010. The small buns which are
traditionally steamed in bamboo baskets,
first originated from eastern China, while
Din Tai Fung, a Tawainese-based restaurant
chain, dates back to 1958. Since then, Din
Tai Fung’s large following has allowed for
locations to spread all over the world with
the Bellevue location being just the second
in the U.S.

Just before entering, a view into an
area of the kitchen can be observed as a large
kitchen staff circles their work area, meticulously weighing f lour, rolling dough or
stuffing and pinching together dumplings.
Inside, minimalist décor in shades of brown
and gray abound in a dining room that is tidily and efficiently set up.
A taste of the menu:
Fresh, juicy pork dumplings ($9.50) and
shrimp and pork shao mai ($11.25) were pockets of savory delight that arrived steaming.

While on THE EASTSIDE try one of these great restaurants

The trick to properly consuming one is to
place one in your soup spoon before piercing it with your chopstick to release the hot
broth inside, then dipping the dumpling in a
sauce mix that consists of one part soy sauce,
three parts vinegar, along with your option
to add shreds of ginger or hot chili sauce.
Non-dumpling options include braised
beef noodle soup ($8.50), Shanghai rice cake
with chicken ($8) and vegetarian and glutenfree options such as seaweed and bean curd
in vinegar dressing ($4.50).

In the sea of restaurants that continue
t o assemble in the South Lake Union area,
re:public has continued to be a stand out
among the others. You can find New American cuisine full of valiant f lavors through
modern culinary interpretations.
Brick walls, exposed beams, low lighting, f lickering candles and a massive bar
stocked to the brim creates the perfect atmosphere to linger all evening, whether for a

nice meal with a significant other, a catch-up
session with the girls or a rockin’ good time
spent all night at the bar with a big group
of friends.
A taste of the menu:
A bright tuna crudo ($12) laid fresh pieces
of tuna brilliantly over slices of Cara Cara
orange before being sprinkled with toasted
poppy seeds and chili.

While AT SOUTH LAKE UNION try one of these great restaurants

Steamed manila clams ($10) were bathed
in a spicy tomato conserva with house sausage, fresh herbs and a mild nutty f lavor of
the fregola sarda.
Broad ribbons of house-made papparadelle pasta ($17) united with a beautifully
rich, braised, fall-apart tender beef cheek
ragu with a touch of truff le and a heap of
grated grana.

Fr o m c e leb r i t y c h e f a nd r e s t au r a nt e u r ,
M i chael Mina, the much anticipated RN74
opened last year to an enthusiastic crowd.
Here you can find modern American and regional French cuisine full of gusto and grace,
craft cocktails and an extensive international wine list emphasizing the Burgundy wine
region of France.
The charismatic restaurant resembles
a French train station with dim lighting, a
train board in the dining area that lists "The
Last Bottle Served" (last call wines that are
available at special pricing.) Business cards

take on the look of a train ticket and luxurious leather-tufted furniture is available to
take a seat in, the full ambiance giving off a
casual yet elegant feel about it, just the way
first class should be.
A taste of the menu:
Shareable snacks include items such as black
truff le popcorn ($5) with a sprinkle of chives
and sea salt and house-made soft pretzels
($8) with whole grain honey mustard.
A beautiful cylinder of ahi tuna tartare
($19) arrived with a quail egg yolk resting

At Ballard restaurant Volterra, husband and
wife team Don Curtiss and Michelle Quisenberry have been pleasing palates with their
Tuscan-inspired menu since 2005. Here, local ingredients merge with years of Italian
tradition through the hands of executive
chef Don Curtiss, who once upon a time
w a s so captivated and inspired while visiting the city of Volterra on a trip through
Tuscany, that he was moved to open his restaurant with the charming city in mind.
Low lighting in a large warm dining

room enclosed by deep red walls opens up to
a sizeable bar where delicious cocktails are
moderately priced, like the Tuscan limoncello rosemary drop ($8) of limoncello, vodka,
fresh rosemary, lemon sour and a rosemary
sugar-rimmed glass.
A taste of the menu:
The aroma of the house-made lamb meat
balls ($12.50) was intoxicating, served with
tendrils of roasted spaghetti squash, goat
cheese cream, Calabrian chilis and Italian

Keeping company with Starbucks and Pearl Jam as the Seattle’s token exports is seafood. Many would argue
that it’s the most flattering representative. And of all the area’s seafood, the Dungeness crab holds a special place.
The crustacean first became famous in the Olympic Peninsula town of Dungeness, Washington, and is now harvested from Kodiak, Alaska to Northern California.
Dungeness crab season is winter, which means it’s more plentiful and more affordable. With more meat and
fewer barbs, Dungeness are a better option than Alaskan king crab. Additionally, they’re a delicacy you can enjoy
without guilt – the crabs are considered sustainable and most certainly local. Here are a few places around the
city where you can find the best preparations. - KATE OPATZ

TRENDY: Etta's
1024 E Pike St Seattle, WA 98122

UPSCALE: Flying Fish
300 Westlake Ave N. Seattle, WA 98109

EASY: City Fish
1535 Pike Place Seattle, WA 98101

www.tomdouglas.com

www.flyingfishrestaurant.com

www.cityfish.com

At Etta’s, Dungeness is available both in the
form of crab cakes and whole steamed
crab. The steamed crab is as classic and
pure as can be, with only grilled lemon and
butter to distract from it. And from 4-6 pm
on weeknights, there’s Crabby Hour. There’s
steamed crab by the leg, half crab or whole
crab, crab dip, crab salad, and a crab
sandwich. It’d be hard to ask for more.

Though more of a financial commitment
than many places ($27/pound), the salt
and pepper crab at Flying Fish is guaranteed to be fresh and excellent. It’s kept
company by sesame noodles, a daikon
salad, and a spicy dipping sauce.

24
WWW.DLISTMAGAZINE.COM

For an extremely efficient and to-the-point
way of enjoying crab, stop by City Fish in
Pike Place Market. There you can get a cup
of lump, no-shell-involved crab, extremely
fresh and made purely as a snack for strolling the market. It might even persuade you
to spring for a whole crab to cook at home.

DISTINCT
I appreciate you giving us a little time. I really
do. So where you at right now? What are you
doing?
Robert: Right now, I'm on I-4 on the left to
South Carolina. I was just in California. So
kind of a crazy schedule we have. But it's all
fun.
You’ve cooked for the British Royal Navy, the
Royal Family, U.S. government officials and
celebs. You have three shows on the Food Network (“Dinner: Impossible,” “Restaurant: Impossible” and “Worst Cooks in America”) two
books, so…what's next for you?
R: What's next? Well we just opened a restaurant before Christmas in between doing “Restaurant: Impossible”. In 60 days, hopefully, I'll
have another new restaurant. So just lots of
things going on at the same time, but all fun.
I'm getting married in between all that too!
That's awesome. I'm such a huge fan. I'm a
huge fan of Food Network in general, but how
can you handle all the stress?
R: I'm going to say I think the military teaches
you how to deal with that stress in various
ways. They don’t do you any favors. And I
think I grew up with that. You know “Dinner:
Impossible” was an amazing show in that it
was probably the only reality show that was
real. I didn't know anything that was going
on. I didn't know I was going to cook. I didn't
know who I was going to help. I didn't know
anything about it. And I swear on my children's life that was real. So it's really within
you putting your skills at task or can you get
it done against the time, the elements, and the
one thing that I had which I'm very proud of,
and then if possible we never reproduce a dish
twice. And all we have to say is we did eight
seasons and an average 24 dishes for our show,
four episodes from scratch, to thousands of
people. We never reproduce it.
So what made you want to jump in to “Restaurant: Impossible?”
R: As far as dealing with real people with real
issues, we're their last hope. If we don't go to
them, they have a massive opportunity of failing. They are in danger of losing their families,
their business, their homes and in some cases
their lives. I mean some people have taken
their lives because of the debt. And that's
very sad. And I think each and every one, yeah
it's a T.V. show, but in the truest form, nobody
can script that. We have people tell me little
kids are left behind when people commit suicide. You know these are real things. And I
take it personally that it is my job to fix these
problems as fast as I possibly can in two days
and with $10,000.
$10,000 is not a lot of money, especially when
talking about rebuilding a restaurant. Are
most of the restaurants you have helped still
in business?
R: It's kinda funny literally before you called,
I saw Tweets about a restaurant called Pastori's. A man had a great meal, but the French

fries looked burned. So I called my executive
chef, I said call Pastori's find out why their
fries are burnt. They literally had a baby when
my chef called. I keep in touch with all the restaurants we help. Out of the 37 restaurants we
have helped, 34 are successful still. I keep contact with them via my executive chef and keep
an eye on what they're doing. Checking their
menus and helping with financials. We are
about to do a “Where Are They Now” show.
Why is “Restaurant: Impossible” different
from other restaurant shows?
R: I give some tough love and make the work
speak for itself. And a lot of people often say
to me, you know, you ripped off Gordon Ramsay. Well, let me tell you, we didn't. You know,
this was a show that should have been done a
long time ago where we actually DO ALL THE
WORK. There's a point where tough love obviously has to be given because they're in denial, most of these people are. And you know,
holding the key to the fire and still don't know
what's really going on in the restaurant. I'm
just a guy that pushes everybody to the limit.
When you walk into that restaurant for the
first time, what are some of the first things
that you look for and automatically know,
these guys shouldn't have done this?
R: I think the first thing I notice is, and I'm
presuming everybody notices, is the smell of
the place the minute you walk in the door.
And then you look at the f loorings, carpets,
look at the walls, look at the decor. And all simultaneously, look at the staff. Are they smiling, are they happy? And then I know, before
I even eat. Lastly is the restaurant clean? The
place has to be immaculate.
What are things people should think about before opening a restaurant?
R: It's funny, everybody seems to think that
they want to be a celebrity chef. They want
to open a restaurant and throw money away.
Unless you have a year’s salary for all the bills
which you intend to pay based on your budgets, don't do it. Because you know, things
happen to die now and again. It's all got to
be paid whether you have business or not. If
I walk in and said to you OK, what is your labor cost for today? How much money did you
spend today? What is your food cost? And
how much actual money did you make today?
You better be able to tell me.
Have been to Seattle before?
R: Oh, yeah.
What are some of your favorite restaurant out
here?
R: Seattle is such a great restaurant city. I
think Canlis is very nice. You know, I also believe that Tom Douglas restaurants and bars
out there are really good. I go to a restaurant
depending on the mood I am in.
Speaking of traveling so much and just eating
healthy in general, what are some tips for eat-

27

WWW.DLISTMAGAZINE.COM

ing healthy in the restaurant industry when
you don't get a lot of breaks?
R: I start by trying to eat breakfast in the
morning when I get up, oatmeal and egg
whites. Some type of protein always with my
meal. I try to eat every two hours. And you
know what the funny part is? Even though
you’re used to fast food chains now, you can
still get a grilled chicken on a whole wheat
bun, just don't do the lettuce and the mayonnaise and everything else. You know? And I
don't do carbs after 3:00PM. There's always a
healthy option. Instead of using mayonnaise
and ketchup, you can use hot sauces and lemons and limes and you can get things without
mayonnaise.
Are you more comfortable cooking for 600
people or 60?
R: I think it really doesn't matter. My mantra
is all about can I be consistent from the first
plate to the last plate of 600. And the same
with 60, it's all about consistency and that's
what makes great restaurants successful. If I
come in to your restaurant one day and it's
great and I tell friends and I come in a week
later and it's not so good, that's what is going
to kill you.
What do you think is more difficult, “Chopped”
or “Iron Chef ?” I'm a huge “Chopped fan” so
I had to ask.
R: I’ve got to say, when I did “Chopped,” it
was difficult, but I believe when I did “Dinner: Impossible,” “Dinner: Impossible” was
worse than any of them.
We all know about your rivalry with Chef
Anne. How do you really act behind the
scenes?
R: Oh I don't know, I have this love/hate relationship with her. (Laughs) But it's just great
competition and we're really good friends, but
we love to get together and compete. I think
life is just a series of moments and you enjoy
the journey. It doesn't matter whether you
win or lose, and I'm not a good loser, by the
way. I don't like to lose. But I look on every
episode of whatever we do. The journey began
from point A to point B and it's all cool, it's
all good. Probably helped someone along the
way.
Anything you want to leave us with?
R: I just appreciate what magazines, radio and
the Internet are doing for the food/restaurant
industry because without you guys letting
people know what's going on around, they
wouldn't be informed. I think that's a big part
of marketing, whatever we do, whether that be
restaurants, stores, pizzerias, whatever it is, I
think it's very important that you keep doing
what you're doing because that's huge for us.
And we appreciate what you do for us.
Follow Robert Irvine:
Twitter: @robertirvine1
Online: www.chefirvine.com

PRODUCT DRINK

Scotch, Scotch, Scotch
What do you think of when you think
about Scotch? Your father or grandfather's
drink of choice? That ver y distinct "peaty"
smell? Well the beloved whisky from
Scotland is quickly becoming hip for the
20-somethings as much as their parents.
And fellas, nothing says "confidently cool" to
the ladies like ordering a Scotch.

The Bottle
Many people may not recognize
the brand new Dewar's 12 bottle.
It has been upgraded and given
some much needed recognition to
key accomplishments like its 200+
tasting awards and now bears the
"1846" stamp which was the year John
Dewar's opened his first wine and spirits shop in Perthshire, Scotland.

The Taste
The Price
Scotch is one of those
indulgences where
you don't want to
go too economical.
This is generally true
because much of the
time you will be drinking it neat or with a
little amount of ice or
water which will really
showcase the flavor
of a good or bad
Scotch. However with
Dewar's 12 the quality
comes at a reasonable price of under
$40 per 750ml bottle.

The Technique

Rich and tangy on the initial
taste with deep oak notes.
Vanilla, caramel, and smoke
show up with little touches of
tobacco, leather, and orange
peel. Dewar's 12 has a bit
more weight than many other
Scotch's in it's price class and
leaves a good amount of legs
on the glass between sips.

There are a million ways to
drink vodka, gin, rum and even
tequila. But with Scotch you
have to abide by a couple
simple ways to imbibe. Many
drink their Scotch "neat" which
means in a room temperature
glass, no ice. For the beginner, let us recommend adding
a "rock" or iced-cube. The
dilution from the ice melting
will make the Scotch easier on
the beginner's palate. Don't
ever add more than a couple
cubes of ice as you don't want
too much water. You can also
consider the traditional "Scotch
and Soda." Pour your Scotch
over ice and add a splash of
soda water.

Now that you know your Scotch, visit one of these fine establishments to tr y it for yourself.
BALLARD: Macleod's Scottish Pub
5200 Ballard Ave NW Seattle, WA 98107

BELLEVUE: Daniel's Broiler
10500 NE 8th, 21st Flr Bellevue, WA 98004

TACOMA: Ale House
2122 Mildred St W Tacoma, WA 98466

www.macleodsballard.com

www.danielsbroiler.com

www.alehousepub.com

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DRINK

Artusi
Old school italian pinache
with a modern twist. welcome
to your new favorite bar.
- Aleko Lilly
Lindsay Borden Photography
Anne Cho (cocktail)
Walking into Artusi is like stepping into
the showroom of a slick, sleek Italian design store. Fortunately, the design is permanent and the only things for sale are the
cocktails and cheap eats; yin to 14th avenue east’s beloved Cascina Spinasse’s yang.
At Spinasse, it’s all old world charm and a
classic Italian trattoria vibe. Artusi is a totally different story. Chef and owner Jason
Stratton has created a magnificent modern
space in which to showcase the best of all
things Italian and he’s done it without losing a sense of comfort and welcome.
His staff is expert at enhancing that
feeling. From servers to bartenders, to
chefs stuck back in the tiny open kitchen,
every person exudes a sense of warmth.
That they are also quite clearly committed
to the enterprise that is Artusi only adds
to the sense that this is a bar both for a
relaxing unhurried evening of snacks and
cocktails and a bar to nerd out in and learn
about the flavors of Italy. This is also a bar
with the balls not to stock flavored vodka.
To that end, Stratton described Artusi as, “focusing on Italian spirits and
flavors and showcasing those in cocktails
and throughout the bar… to the exclusion of some more obvious spirits.” They
do this incredibly well. From their signature Marinetti’s Automobile to cleverlynamed and expertly-crafted cocktails like
the All Amaros’ Parties, Miller’s Crossing
and Tenderoni, there is a distinctly Italian
flair. Nearly every cocktail is graced with
the presence of an Italian vermouth or
amaro (bitters liqueur), European vinegars
sprout up consistently as a substitute for
citrus and some are even based on grappino (grappa, but for beginners!) All these
www.artusibar.com
1535 14th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122

heavy, herby ingredients are for the most part balanced nicely by rums, ryes, gins and more. Artusi
also sports an impressive Italian wine list and the
little known but delicious Theresianer beers from
Trieste.
The food at Artusi is equally impressive if not Marinetti’s Automobile - The quintessential Artusi cocktail. Made with rye,
more exceptional than the booze and works well as
Liquore Strega, Carpano Antica, fig vinyou slug back so many drinks. A white mushroom egar and a cayenne-soaked Amarena
and boiled egg salad sounds simple, but with the cherry, it is a twist on a cocktail. The genaddition of “salsa Apicius,” a Roman-inspired con- esis is 1932’s Futurist Cookbook published
by Filippo Marinetti. The book was a
coction, is anything but. This is Stratton at his best,
collection of modernist cuisine introducbringing together local ingredients with Italian tra- ing food and drink that touched all the
dition to create memorable cuisine. Brussels sprouts senses and Artusi embraces that idea in
with currants, walnuts, Meyer lemon and fresh this multi-faceted cocktail.
pressed olio novella (freshly pressed, spicy olive oil)
is brilliant and lively as well. Another favorite came
in the surprising form of braised tripe, yes, tripe,
served as a sort of ragout over orzo pasta. It was a
dish that was at once unexpected and astounding.
Artusi is both those things to its core. It takes
the sterility of modern design and makes you feel at
home. It gives you cocktails that marry bitter, tart
and herbal back into flavors that dance on your
tongue. It shows you food you’ve never seen and
leaves you wanting more. It is a slice of all things
great about Italy, but accessible and approachable
for all.

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DISTINCT
On television, he plays the fantasy football league commissioner amongst his
closest friends, works as a lawyer and has a wife and daughter; essentially the
most “grownup” member of “The League.” In reality, Steve Rannazzisi is also
a member of a fantasy league with his coworkers (the cast and crew of “The
League”), works as an actor and a comedian, and is a loving husband and father. But he won’t call himself a grownup. DList sat down with Rannazzisi to
discuss everything from the frustrations of fantasy football to Eskimo brothers.
Before the show had begun, Rannazzisi and one of the show’s creators,
Jeff Schaffer, had been the only members of the cast and crew to have ever
played fantasy football. They created a league so that everyone would become
familiar with the terminology and actions. Much like in the show, the title of
league champion continually eludes Rannazzisi. “It has been unsuccessful for
me,” he said. “I think I’m way better than I really am. I’m overconfident every
year and every year I shit the bed, I really do. It’s horrible.”
Though with football season coming to a close, Rannazzisi does take part
in other activities during his downtime and most of them revolve around his
family. “My son is crazy but he cracks me up,” Rannazzisi shared of his 3-yearold. “His favorite movie is “E.T.” and I’m like, ‘Oh this kid’s gifted!’ He’s not

watching crap.” Aside from being constantly amused by his kid, Rannazzisi
also enjoys playing golf, spectating sporting events (he’s a huge Giants and
Yankees fan) and just watching TV. According to Rannazzisi, it’s rare that he
gets a chance to do these things because of all the projects he is working on like
“The League,” putting his own independent movie that he wrote into production and doing standup.
He wouldn’t exactly describe himself as always having been the comedian type. While growing up, however, he did frequently recall getting in trouble
for his quips as he was going through Catholic school. “I had a problem keeping my thoughts to myself,” he stated. “One time I remember we came back
from a field trip and the whole class was in trouble and my teacher was just
screaming at us…He was like, ‘I’ve got two words for you: pain in the ass.’ And I
just looked around and was thinking someone else has got to do this right and
I just raised my hand and I was like, ‘Mr. Dunn, you know that’s four words,
right?’ He just lost it.”
Rannazzisi has always had the ability to point out the ridiculousness of
the situation at hand, which is what makes him so entertaining to watch and
to be around, but he is also able to keep it together when the time calls for it.
In the last episode of the first season, there is a moment when Rannazzisi,
as Kevin, doubles over and exclaims, “I hate my friends!” According to Rannazzisi, the real story behind this was that in the take prior, he had been kissed
on the mouth by Nick Kroll, who plays Ruxin on the show, in a moment of
pure excitement. Before the next take, Rannazzisi asks Kroll not to kiss him
on the mouth again, but he did not expect what came next. “So we’re doing
the take, he goes to kiss me on the mouth, but instead he sack-tapped me so
hard, it felt like he punched me, like he just wailed my balls,” he described. “I
immediately doubled over, but I kept it together because I knew we had it.”
Rannazzisi explained that moments where cast and crew have to stay
composed have happened in more episodes than just the last. “Whenever you
see the camera shake, they try to take it out in post-production, but you can
still see it shake a little bit, that’s because the camera guys are laughing and the
cameras are on their shoulder and they’re trying to hold it together,” he said.
“But that to me is like we have gold here.”
As much of a comedian as Rannazzisi is, he is also extremely poignant
and smart. Making everyone around him laugh seems to be just sheer coincidence.

Steve Rannazzisi
the stand up comedian is in a league of his own - SHEENA NGUYEN
Provided by Parlor Billiards

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DECIBEL

Singing Together
Seattle R&B duo Malice and Mario Sweet make music and marriage look effortless. - JOE GUSTAV
Gathigi Gishuru
In music and love, the most attention-grabbing un- including single “Speed of Light,” feature Malice
and Mario singing the same lyrics at the same time
dertakings are intense emotional bursts likely fated
to burn out after one genius album or an all-con- in perfect unity.
“It's way harder than it seems,” Crystal said.
suming three months, tops. The ones that last - that
lead to lengthy, productive careers or a lifetime of “To have two completely different voices and we still
have to work on the enunciation of things. We say
attachment - are ostensibly effortless. To the outside
perspective, they do not require work, while in fact, words differently. To sing at the same time, live, doing that is way difficult.”
they are the products of dedication and passion.
“We try to just feel it,” Mario explained. “We
Mario and Crystal “Malice” Sweet make both
endeavors look easy. Seated amenably in a restau- look at each other when we're singing a lot of times,
just really try to connect with how we want to vibe
rant booth, his left arm casually draped around his
and flow so that it feels natural. So that it doesn't
wife of three years, the red in Mario’s scarf matches
seem forced."
her burgundy long-sleeve top, his gray coat subtly
Forced may be one of the last words one would
complementing both. Surely they did not coordiuse to describe their music. The vocals stay in a fonate outfits; one would assume it’s just an example
of two minds unconsciously on the same wave- cused range and the lyrics are earnest without gushing. No one is belting torch songs here.
length. Their voices make a similarly pleasant and
It would also be a poor choice for characterproficient match on the Seattle R&B duo’s debut
izing their relationship. They met in college through
“Happy 2 Year,” re-released as a deluxe edition in
mutual friends who would go on to be The Physics,
November.
one of the Northwest’s best hip-hop acts. It wasn’t
Originally dropping last Valentine’s Day, the
love at first sight “He was so cocky and such an ass,”
husband-and-wife singers’ EP of sweet neo-soul
Crystal remembered, but it grew through shared
duets gained acclaim locally and globally for their
understated yet immersive love songs. Many cuts, musical talent.

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Soon they were together, then married at
Seattle arts hangout The OK Hotel on New Year’s
Day, before building a name together as The Physics’ backup singers. Naturally, a project of their own
was next.
“I had no idea that I'd ever be singing with my
wife,” Mario said. “That I get to share it with her is
dope. I don't have to explain to her the rush that
happens when you perform in front of a sold out
New York crowd. She can feel that with me.”
Malice and Mario Sweet have lent their vocals
to upcoming releases, including Grynch’s new album, and are “85 to 90 percent” decided on the beats
for their next project. According to Mrs. Sweet, the
songs will showcase that "not everything is sunshine
and fairy tales, but will have some positivity to it."
Mario also plans to release a new edition of the “Seattle’s Best Free Compilation,” a carefully curated
collection of 206 rap releases.
One thing they haven’t thought much about
is Valentine’s Day plans. Both Sweets are working
toward master’s degrees at City University and February is thesis time. As with most things music, life
and love, they’re fine not knowing what’s next.

In their video for “Jekyll & Hyde,” Seattle-based
live hip-hop collective Theoretics unleash a diabolical fiend onto a Victorian-chic version of our
fair city. For the real-life city and all its many
scenes and styles, the band’s seven members have
set loose a beast of different kind: a Dr. Funkenstein for the new era with a new-found love of big
beats and dookie chains, but still living to tear the
roof off this sucker with any sound that will get
the job done.
Theoretics’ aforementioned Kickstarterfunded video is a theatrically-impressive visual
accompaniment indicative of the quality this
group exudes and the care they put into their
craft. Simply put, few hip-hop bands do it right
and Theoretics are the exception. MCs Mark Hoy
and Chimaroke Abuachi lay down inspirational
party rhymes over a funk-jazz-hip-hop-electronic
fusion that holds up well on record, but begs to
be experienced live. They shouldn’t be too hard

to find, playing around town often and have a new
album in the works for 2012.
Get to know Theoretics below as they join a growing number of Northwest artists who have been
Discovered. Know someone else deserving of
joining the ranks? Step 1: Get on Twitter. Step 2:
Nominate them @DListMagazine #Discovered
Name: Theoretics
Age: Our first gig was about two years ago, opening for the Budos Band at Neumos, but we’ve been
jamming together long before that. Our first album
dropped about nine months ago.
From: In and around Seattle, mostly. A few of us are
from Oregon and New York.
Sounds Like: Seven-piece mad scientist hip-hop. Our

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first album has lots of rock, funk, jazz and classical
music influences. Our new material has a serious
electronic edge.
When I'm Not Making Music I'm: Everywhere.
Teaching your kids or your neighbors to make
beautiful music, delivering your mattresses, pouring your coffee, writing your code, sitting behind
you on the bus reading sci-fi…
What's Next: We’re working on lots of new material we hope to release later this year. We’ve been
exploring a different sound from our first album;
more synths, breakbeats, glitchy drums. We’re really excited.
Catch Me At: The Crocodile on Feb. 17 with
The Coup. There will be live hip-hop bands
all night! Find us at www.theoreticsmusic.com
or at facebook.com/theoreticsmusic.

The Presidents of the United
States of America
@ Showbox at the Market

J. Pinder’s Careless album
release party
@ The Crocodile

release of his 10th album, Maraqopa, at The Nep-

Countless Seattle-area 80’s babies were told not

A couple years ago, a lot was made of Seattle rapper

tune. Jurado and frequent collaborator Richard

to repeat the lyrics to the fun and foul-mouthed

J. Pinder’s supposed move to Atlanta to find greener

Swift are the OGs of Puget Sound big-beard-and-

pop-punk tracks of three-chord humorists The

pastures (and national recognition), and the predict-

Local alt-folkster Damien Jurado celebrates the

f lannel tunes, but purportedly delve deeper into

Presidents of the United States of America. Plenty

ed exodus of local hip-hop talent that it signaled. As

new, psychedelic territory on their latest, and Ju-

repeated those lyrics ad nauseam to sheltered el-

Pinder will gladly tell anyone, he never planned to

rado’s 6th with esteemed and awesomely-named

ementary school classmates. Those secret swear-

leave the 206 for good. The talented MC celebrates

label Secretly Canadian. For the live celebra-

ers are now all grown up, and will be packing the

the release of his first official full-length at The Croc

tion, Jurado will be joined by a new 5-piece band.

Showbox at the Market for three nights of PUSA.

with hometown homies Dyme Def, Eighty4 Fly,

Maraqopa drops February 21st.

Royce the Choice, and GMK.

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DECIBEL DJ

Hyperfunk
we want the funk! Seattle's dance music guru shares his thoughts on edm and why he goes hard for seattle. - Joe gustav
Jason Woodill
This month’s Decibel DJ is a local mainstay who has
shared stages - and a car ride - with the biggest names
in the world
Few, if any, local DJs can claim a more storied
tenure in the Seattle electronic scene than Hyperfunk. A Jersey boy who fell in love with tracks spun
in the New York underground, Hyperfunk has seen
it all. He’s been through the ups and downs, from legislative crackdowns clearing dance floors to cracking
get-downs attended by thousands, all the while mixing equally drastic peaks and valleys at his trademark
up-tempo speed.
Hyperfunk is USC Events’ resident electro DJ,
a perfect partnership given both parties’ collective
hand in growing our city’s scene. He’s spun all across
the U.S. and Canada, rocking stages for the biggest
names in electronic music including Tiesto, Prodigy and Moby. His “pride and joy” is free.BASS, his
weekly no-cover Thursday night residency at Trinity
Nightclub that he has held down since 2008.
DList caught up with Hyperfunk to talk Puget
Sound EDM and one memorable car ride. This month,
catch Hyperfunk opening for world-renowned DJ
Christopher Lawrence at Volume (172 S Washington
St) on Friday, Feb. 10. For more details, visit www.volumeseattle.com.

You've been involved in the Seattle scene for a
long time. How have you seen it grow and evolve?
I got into it at a time when it was blowing up all over
America. Then they had the big war on drugs and
there was a huge rave crackdown. It used to be cool
and then it became really underground. It was a crazy
time.
I remember going to parties that were really
well-promoted and would only have 100 to 200 people
at them. Now, if you threw the exact same party, you'd
have 600 to 1,000 people there no matter what. There
are so many people now who love electronic music.
Do you think there's anything that sets the Seattle
electronic scene apart?
I've spent a lot of time on the road playing a lot of different cities and what I found here, and I'm partially
responsible for it, is that Seattle DJs play a lot harder.
We take things a little bit more upbeat and in-yourface.
It's a big difference. When I play in Vancouver,
for instance, other DJs are blown away by the tempo
that I play and the fact that people are super into it.
I play so much faster than a lot of the DJs up there,
which they find just hilarious.

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You've shared the stage with a bunch of big names.
Do any interactions with these artists stand out to
you?
I met Benny Benassi in 2005. I've opened for him in
five different states and two different cities in Canada.
I went to Portland and opened for him the night before my first ever USC show, which was him at the
Showbox in Seattle in 2008. I drove down and it was
a horrible trip. I got a flat tire, the roads were closed
for floods. I made it with 15 minutes to spare before
my set started.
After the show, it turns out we're in the same
hotel. He asks, "What time is your flight?" but I drove.
He said, "I hate the little propeller planes they put us
on to go from Seattle to Portland. Would you mind if
I rode there with you and your friends?"
I didn't tell my friends he was coming. I said,
"I've gotta grab something from the front desk," when
we checked out. I came out with Benny Benassi. He's
such a cool dude. He talked to us the whole way back.
Hear Hyperfunk’s thoughts on EDM’s propulsion
into the mainstream over at the DList blog.

The Volume
Keeping up with the ever
changing landscape of nightlife, Volume has what you want
for a good time. - ELISA BEALl

demographics," Chew added. Pushing forward to meeting that goal, Club Volume
will be added to the weekly Thursday Art
Walk circuit, with the aim of being there
for art viewers when a drink break calls.
“The Art Walk is becoming a staple for the
Seattle crowd,” Chew said. “We're excited
to be associated with it.”
This is a local venue that covers your
party needs as well as your changing taste.
Your celebration necessities and dance
floor therapy sessions await inside. "Come
have a great time, let your hair down, that’s
all we ask," Chew said with a smile.
Make Pioneer Square's newest night
club a part of your weekend plans this year.

Anne Cho
Three bars, two DJs and a dance floor large
enough to dance away the worries of the
work week. Located in the heart of Pioneer
Square, Club Volume has stayed true to
the ideals of a real night club. The club demands nothing from the attending public
other than they let loose and have a good
time. Dress code is lenient, drinks are reasonably priced, VIP booths are plentiful
and the 18 and up crowd is welcomed on
Sundays.
After a few months, new club venues
begin to lose their appeal. Doormen recognize your face, bartenders make your drink
before you open your mouth to order, the
DJ sounds like a CD on repeat and the
decor becomes less alluring. Club owner
Matt Chew combats this inevitable redundancy by promising a constant renewal
of DJs, décor and drinks. “I see clubs get
branded as the place that only offers one
thing,” noted Chew. “I'd like ours to be
well-rounded and to feel brand new each
time.” Under construction recently, Club
Volume took on a new look, in time for the
new year. Also in store for 2012 are Open
Mic nights, offering a stage for local artists.
Live band performances and star-studded
appearances are also on deck for the new
year. "The goal is to create a melting pot of

www.volumeseattle.com
172 S Washington St
Seattle, WA 98104

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DOLLED UP

Good Enough

To Eat!

Creating beauty products is much like creating a culinary masterpiece. Much goes
into selecting the perfect blend of ingredients to give you the preferred texture
and results. Give these expertly crafted products a try! - TRICIA EASTMAN

Containing only vegan ingredients, these
Christie Brinkley skincare creams have
light air y textures that feel delicious
on the skin. The day and night cream
contain an array of ingredients designed
to repair the DNA in the skin.
DNA Renewal System 30 Day Kit: $99.95
www.christiebrinkleyskincare.com

Massage oils can be messy and may
even stain those Egyptian cotton sheets.
This solid body massage bar made with
shea butter melts when heated by rubbing onto your skin or someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s,
creating a nice slip without feeling greasy.
Babeland Body Massage Bar: $2.50
www.babeland.com

Describe your personal style.
Mark: There’s what we wear to work and there’s
what we wear the rest of our lives. They’re definitely
separate. I don’t wake up and put a suit on, but I wear
one 10 hours a day.
Brian: Because we’re so formal at night we’re often
really casual during the day. Lots of jeans and Converse, but it still has to be clean. It has to be neat because people can walk in the door anytime and you
have to represent the brand so I can’t be a slob.
M: There’s no reason to be a slob.
B : You can still be comfortable and professional.
That’s what we try to do.
What inf luences your personal style?
M: Our schedules influence it, like during the day
we’re rolling tables around. It’s definitely influenced
by what we’re doing.
B: I think there’s also an influence from our grandfather. Peter Canlis opened the restaurant in 1950 and
you look at the photos from back then and it was a
fashion show of the coolest, hippest.
M: There was a lot of timeless swagger.
H ow d o e s S e a t t l e i n f l u e n c e y o u r p e r s o n a l
style?
B: I feel like we fight Seattle.
M: We totally fight Seattle.
B: Especially because we’re the only restaurant in the
city that really asks people to dress up.
M: People freak out of it as if we’ve asked them to do
something so personally offensive.
Is it more of an expectation than a requirement?
B: Out of 35 tables, only 10 of them we enforce a jacket
dress code, but the rest of the dining room, we’re a lot
more lenient.
M: There’s also an expectation that you be polite,
that you be cordial, that you be a man about it. Style
isn’t just what you’re wearing. Style is the way you’re
acting. Style is the way that you carry yourself.
B: It’s the men that are the biggest offenders. A woman walks in in this gorgeous Diane von Furstenberg
dress or something and the guy is wearing jeans and
a sweatshirt. At some point I guess it wasn’t cool to
dress up as a guy, but that’s changing. In pictures of
our dining room from the ‘50s and ‘60s, all the women
have hats and cigarettes.
M: The men are all done up.
B: And if you’re going out to such a nice restaurant
and enjoy that food and wine, then why not? You feel
more special when you dress up, right?
M: If you want to just be in your pajamas, then order in Thai food because that’s a great night. Thai
food and pajamas, there’s nothing wrong with that. If
you’re coming to Canlis, come correct. Have fun with
it. It’s not an attitude, it’s not like dress up or we’ll
kick you out. It’s like dress up, it’s fun.
B: So we brought back housecoats. We have a whole
closet full of coats, but we also loosened it in the way
that a great pair of jeans can be stylish.
M: We also dress our staff. Hugo Boss, we got them
to dress all the guys. And the girls, we have some
custom-made stuff for them.
So you think it’s important to dress up for respect and the enjoyment of it?
M: I think it’s a social thing. The way you dress is a
respect for the people around you. At least the people

you’re dining with. It shows that you care. At some
point, caring got uncool and that’ll change again. It’s
cool to care. You don’t have to be all fussy. Take off
the “whatever” attitude pants.
Break down to me how your work day inf luences the way you dress.
M: We get to the restaurant in the morning. We put
on a suit around 5 p.m. and we wear it until midnight.
When you get to the restaurant at like 10 in the morning, I’m into it, but I’m not into it for like 20 hours a
day or 18 hours a day. So I put on my favorite pair of
jeans and a T-shirt and I head in. And then I think
to myself, ‘Alright if someone walks in and sees
this, they’re going to think that’s Canlis?’ so maybe
I upgrade a T-shirt or cooler shoes or just some sort
of piece that says I wasn’t entirely asleep when I got
dressed this morning.
Top three favorite designers, brands.
B: I think we love Hugo Boss. We have a stylist, Luke
Woellhof, manager of Hugo Boss at Mario’s, who
helps dress us.
M: Here’s the thing. Hugo Boss in and of itself, is
not perfect. Luke’s style with Hugo Boss is perfect. I
like these guys. The maker of this sweater makes cool
clothing. What’s it called?
B: (Checks the tag) Inhabit. I’ve never heard of them.
M: (Jokingly) I’m so cool you’ve never even heard of
them. I like Mark Nason. I think he makes cool boots.
B : Let’s see. Shoes, I like [Salvatore] Ferragamo.
They’re my favorite shoes on the floor. They’re comfortable, they’re sturdy.
M: Italian shoes are the best, period.
B: For jeans, I like Levi’s. Spending $200 on a pair of
jeans doesn’t make sense to me.
M: I disagree with that entirely.
B: That’s fine, but I get jeans for 30, 40 bucks at Levi’s
and I think they’re great.
M: I wear my jeans for 30 minutes in the dressing
room. With jeans, it’s a personal interview with myself. We become friends, we bond and then it’s over.
These are [Hugo] Boss.
How does The Finerie fit in with what you
both wear?
M: They have good stuff. I was impressed.
B: I was impressed too.
M: They go into like, Norway, and they find cool
things that are nice, but not absurdly expensive. I do
think that fashion can get out of hand in the price category. You don’t need to do that to yourself.
B: You can dress really well without spending a fortune. I think what’s also cool about The Finerie is
you walk into Nordstrom and it’s overwhelming, but
when you go to the Finerie…
M: Someone with fashion and style already did the
sorting for you.
B: It’s small and everything there is interesting.
M: I think when it’s artistic like that, less is more.
Favorite place to shop?
B: I like Coleman. Of course we like Hugo Boss at
Mario’s.
M: I would definitely go back to The Finerie. I feel
like we shop when we’re out. If we’re going into Europe or something, that’s when we’ll pick up a bunch
of cool shoes. I have a pair of underwear from the
equivalent of a French Target and they’re amazing.
B: If I’m buying a gift, I like to go to Nordstrom be-

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cause someone will take care of you and just be like,
“I got this.”
Favorite place to eat?
Steven: I think I know what the answer is.
B: Well, no, you can’t say Canlis in an interview.
M: Canlis. Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, nothing touches this restaurant. It just doesn’t. It’s kind
of confident, it’s not trying to be cocky, but dollar for
dollar, if you’re going to spend money, it has to be
Canlis. Do I go there all the time? No way. La Carta
de Oaxaca, I’m in love with.
B: I love Spur. It’s best combo of food and cocktail.
Favorite place to get drinks?
B: Canon, Rob Roy.
M: What do you think of Bathtub Gin?
B: With the tape recorder on? (laughs) I love it.
M: I had a great time there. It didn’t make your list of
favorite places.
B: I love Bathtub Gin for the ambiance, for the coolness, I feel good. I like to be upstairs at the bar.
M: They let us order pizza. We definitely brought in a
bunch of pizza. Those guys are awesome.
B: If I’m going to drink a cocktail, I want to able to
hear myself think and have a conversation, so I tend
to go to places a little quieter that really care about
the craft.
M: Part of a cocktail is the ambiance. I want to be
with people that I like and I want to have a great drink.
W h a t a b o u t wo r k i ng a t t h e r e s t au r a nt p r o vides for a unique sartorial experience?
M: We get to see everything. If anyone has style,
they’re bringing it in.
B: We’ve complained a lot, but the majority of people dress up and look amazing. It’s fun because all of
the managers are really competitive about our style,
about our ties. We compete for who gets the most
compliments.
M: I have a suit right now that’s killing it. Unstoppable. Thank you Luke. Honestly, I think we’re there
to serve people, not to judge people. I think what matters most is that they care, not that they get it right.

SALON
You needn’t be fooled by the swinging
soundtrack of Sinatra or the 1920s-inspired interior. Valentine’s is not just
another throwback barbershop. The
business has been christened a “men’s
grooming salon,” complete with a wide
range of services including manicures
and facials especially tailored for men,
many of which are done in a private
room. With services such as the King
of Kings and the Emperors Treatment
taking as long as 3 hours, this is no ordinary men's salon or barbershop, this
is the next level redefined.
The owner, known simply as Valentine, started his business in 1993 in
Ballard with only $800 in his pocket.
The barbershop, not yet what it is today, established a presence early on
that catered to all hair types and structures. “When I did open up, I didn’t
realize, but I was the only barbershop
in North Seattle to cut black hair at
that time,” Valentine said. The business moved to Greenwood in 1998, still
maintaining its DNA with a DJ booth
and graffiti as mainstays in the shop.
Though it has been since renovated
and taken on a new aesthetic incarnation, that legacy remains on one wall
covered in old promotional posters and
graffiti art. From a young DJ Scene, to
your favorite professional ball player,
to our current Mayor Mike McGinn;
Valentine has likely cut every local celebrity at least one time in their career.
Valentine emphasized his desire
to educate, having trained an extensive
list of former employees who have also
become entrepreneurs. “My job is to
make you greater than me. If your boss
isn’t, then he’s letting you down,” he
said. He is also involved with community centers, paying special attention
to at-risk youth males, often giving
them haircuts. “It’s not just catering
to the business men, it’s taking care of
all men,” he asserted. As he has done
with employees, he hopes to push such
youth to succeed.
On the horizon for Valentine’s
is a product line of hard shaving soap,
pre-shave oil and aftershave, as well as
another location out-of-state. With all
this positive energy, Valentine shows
no signs of slowing down.
Valentine's ensures the highest
level of skill, style, and service to all
their guests. Their stylists are taught
to understand the uniqueness of each
individual hair type and structure.
They provide these in an atmosphere
that is relaxed and open to all men of
the world, regardless of age, ethnicity,
or beliefs.

Valentine's

Valentine’s in Greenwood provides a haven for men of all hair types to clean up. The old-world
appearance is a striking counterpoint to a modern vision. - Steven dolan
provided by Valentine's

www.valentinesseattle.com
7912 Greenwood Ave N.
Seattle, WA 98103

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BOUTIQUE

Rene Ropas

Having been in Belltown for only eight months, fashion start-up Rene Ropas is already making
its mark on Seattle fashion with its eco-friendly styles. - STEVEN DOLAN
Tuffer

www.reneropas.com
2604 Western Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121

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“Be Beautiful. Be Inspired. Be Unstoppable.” is the mantra by which the
young Seattle fashion brand Rene Ropas operates. Morgan Carson, its creator and designer, believes in empowering her customers by creating garments
out of recycled vintage fabrics.
Her fall ready-to-wear collection,
Infiniti, hangs on racks, an ode to a
housewife gone askew. Carson utilizes
historical inspiration and brings it into
modern conversation with color and
cut, among other details.
“Everything I do is really fun and
classically fit, so it really fits the curve
of the body really well,” she proclaimed.
“It’s intended to make any silhouette
look good… and be bold. Because our
target is, like, the unstoppable woman,
so she’ll wear anything.”
A particular example from the Infiniti line that Carson points to is the
“Billow trench.” The garment with its
long silhouette, magenta base and yellow and black plaid gingham paneling,
calls to mind a 1950’s housecoat on acid.
The zippers running at the opening
and collar add all the more rebellion.
All of the Rene Ropas ready-towear is made-to-order. Clients come
in and Carson picks looks and a selection of fabrics follows. Each garment is
made to fit the client’s body. In addition to ready-to-wear, Carson designs
an avant-garde line each season that
adds spectacle to her fashion shows.
Her last major show, the Rene Ropas
Dollhouse Prom, saw models in dresses
detailed with LED lights.
Carson also sells and modifies
vintage menswear pieces, noticing a
change in the way men wear clothes.
“There’s something going on in the
culture. The men want a place to play
dress-up,” she said. “They freaking
love it. They come in, they twirl, they
have so much fun.”
Lately, for the brand, Carson
had the opportunity to present runway shows at the Sundance Film Festival. The incredible collection can be
viewed on her website, www.reneropas.
com.
While the Rene Ropas storefront
has only been in Belltown for eight
months, Carson says her business has
grown rapidly and she attributes such
growth to her guiding principles.
“I don’t ever hear in my mind,
‘No,’” she said. With positivity and
determination, it will be no surprise if
Rene Ropas continues to evolve with
exceptional momentum.

Though the Seattle Film Festival has come and gone,
make sure to stop by and check out some of the
films showing this year at the Children’s Film Festival.
Perfect for the whole family, the festival will include
some live action elements in conjunction with the 100
children’s films from more than 30 countries around
the world. JAN 26 - FEB 5

Put on by the Seattle
Opera, “Don Quixote” is
one of the most classic
tales of a man and his
journey through the world.
With beautiful costumes,
perfectly on-point singing
and fantastic instrumentals, this showing of
the 1605 novel is sure to
please. FEB 3 - FEB 12

1Capitol Hill Cinemas

3 McCaw Hall

4

Northwest Flower & Garden Show

An Evening with Anthony
Bourdain and Eric Ripert

Running for four days and taking up the entire
Washington State Convention Center, The Northwest Flower and Garden Show is truly a highlight
of the winter months here in Seattle. It will feature
a number of exciting events like a container
show, floral competition and even a play garden.
FEB 8 - FEB 12

7

8 WA State Convention Center

5

10
The Second City: Laugh Out
Loud Tour

The company that started
the careers of famed
comedians like Tina Fey,
Steve Carrell and Stephen
Colbert brings a show
filled with hilarious improv
and sketch comedy. The
show has received rave
reviews from its various
performances around
the world.

This live sit-down with two
of the most well-known
males in TV cooking,
Bourdain and Ripert, are
sure to be more enlightening than audiences
are prepared for. These
two unlikely friends will
recount their journeys
and cooking adventures
throughout the world.

6
Cupid’s Undie Run
Valentine’s Day for the
single person can be a
bit of a drag. And what
better way to meet your
future Valentine’s Day
date than to partake in a
city-wide undie run? The
first 120 people to register
will receive a free pint of
beer and the proceeds
go towards research for
Neurofibromatosis.

11 The Paramount 11 Fremont
Natalie Cole
Age 61 and not a single
line on her face that
proves it, Natalie Cole
is the similarly talented
daughter of the legendary Nat King Cole. With
nine Grammy Awards under her belt, it is clear age
will never get in the way
of Cole’s performing.

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14

15

16 Pantages Theater 17Emerald Queen Casino 18

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20

21

22

Stars On Ice

Harlem Globe Trotters

WWE Smackdown TV

This year’s Stars on Ice
Tour lineup makes it well
worth the rounding up
of the kids and hauling
down to Key Arena. Even
for individuals whose
interests do not include
ice skating, no one can
deny the ever-impressive
repertoires of these young
athletes.

On the (hopefully) long list
of things to do in your life,
seeing a performance
from the Harlem Globe
Trotters had best be close
to the top. This group of
mind-blowing talented
athletes has been in action since the 1920s and it
is no mystery why.

25 Key Arena

26 Key Arena

Everyone enjoys watching
grown men smack each
other around a bit. And
though this show may not
be for the whole family,
if your girlfriend is cool, a
date may be the better
way to go. The show will
be filled with plenty of
cringe-worthy moments,
all of which will be taped
and playing live on TV.

Here is your chance to win a pair of tickets to the biggest St. Patricks Day party in the northwest,
LUCKY by USC Events. This event will be at WaMu theater and is expected to draw 10.000 party
people. To enter simply follow @DListMagazine on Twitter and leave a comment about which
LUCKY artist you are most excited to see and hash tag #DListLuckyDay. All entries must be in by
March 1, 2012. Winner will be announced and contacted by March 5, 2012. Must be 18+ to enter.
For more info about LUCKY visit www.uscevents.com